Classes Voluntary Powers Voluntary Action Complex Voluntary Action
Complex Voluntary Action
Nouns
conduct [actions of an individual agent]
behavior
deportment, comportment
carriage, maintien, demeanor, guise, bearing, manner, observance. dealing, transaction etc. (action) Action
business etc. Business . tactics, game, game plan, policy, polity
generalship, statesmanship, seamanship
strategy, strategics
plan etc. Plan . management
husbandry
housekeeping, housewifery
stewardship
menage
regime
economy, economics
political economy
government etc. (direction) Direction . execution, manipulation, treatment, campaign, career, life, course, walk, race, record. course of conduct, line of conduct, line of action, line of proceeding
role
process, ways, practice, procedure, modus operandi, MO, method of operating
method etc.
path etc. Method [Path.] .
Verbs
transact [cause to occur] , execute
despatch, dispatch
proceed with, discharge
carry on, carry through, carry out, carry into effect, put into effect
work out
go through, get through
enact
put into practice
do etc. Action
officiate etc. Business . bear oneself, behave oneself, comport oneself, demean oneself, carry oneself, conduct oneself, acquit oneself. run a race, lead a life, play a game
take a course, adopt a course
steer one's course, shape one's course
play one's paint, play one's cards, shift for oneself
paddle one's own canoe
bail one's own boat. conduct
manage, supervise etc. (direct) Direction . participate etc. Action . deal with, have to do with
treat, handle a case
take steps, take measures.
Adjectives
conducting etc. v.. strategical, businesslike, practical, executive.
Nouns
direction
management, managery
government, gubernation, conduct, legislation, regulation, guidance
bossism [U.S.]
legislature
steerage, pilotage
reins, reins of government
helm, rudder, needle, compass
guiding star, load star, lode star, pole star
cynosure. supervision, superintendence
surveillance, oversight
eye of the master
control, charge
board of control etc. (council) Council
command etc. (authority) Authority . premiership, senatorship
director etc. Director
chair, portfolio. statesmanship
statecraft, kingcraft, queencraft. ministry, ministration
administration
stewardship, proctorship
agency. [person who directs] director etc. Director .
Verbs
direct, manage, govern, conduct
order, prescribe, cut out work for
bead, lead
lead the way, show the way
take the lead, lead on
regulate, guide, steer, pilot
tackle, take the helm, be at the helm
have the reins, handle the reins, hold the reins, take the reins
drive, tool. superintend, supervise
overlook, control, keep in order, look after, see to, legislate for
administer, ministrate
matronize
have the care of, have the charge of
be in charge of, have charge of, take the direction
boss, boss one around
pull the strings, pull the wires
rule etc. (command) Authority
have the direction, hold office, hold the portfolio
preside, preside at the board
take the chair, occupy the chair, be in the chair
pull the stroke oar.
Adjectives
directing etc. v.
hegemonic.
Adverbs
at the helm, at the head of.
Nouns
director, manager, governor, rector, comptroller. superintendent, supervisor, straw boss
intendant
overseer, overlooker
supercargo, husband, inspector, visitor, ranger, surveyor, aedile
moderator, monitor, taskmaster
master etc. Master
leader, ringleader, demagogue, corypheus, conductor, fugleman, precentor, bellwether, agitator
caporal, choregus, collector, file leader, flugelman, linkboy. guiding star etc. (guidance) Direction
adviser etc. Advice
guide etc. (information) Information
pilot
helmsman
steersman, steermate
wire-puller. driver, whip, Jehu, charioteer
coachman, carman, cabman
postilion, vetturino, muleteer, arriero, teamster
whipper in. head, head man, head center, boss
principal, president, speaker
chair, chairman, chairwoman, chairperson
captain etc. (master) Master
superior
mayor etc. (civil authority) Master
vice president, prime minister, premier, vizier, grand vizier, eparch. officer, functionary, minister, official, red-tapist, bureaucrat
man in office, Jack in office
office bearer
person in authority etc. Master . statesman, strategist, legislator, lawgiver, politician, statist, statemonger
Minos, Draco
arbiter etc. (judge) Judge
boss [U.S.] , political dictator. board etc. (council) Council . secretary, secretary of state
Reis Effendi
vicar etc. (deputy) Deputy
steward, factor
agent etc. Consignee
bailiff, middleman
foreman, clerk of works
landreeve
factotum, major-domo, seneschal, housekeeper, shepherd, croupier
proctor, procurator.
Nouns
advice, counsel, adhortation
word to the wise
suggestion, submonition, recommendation, advocacy
advisement. exhortation etc. (persuasion) Motive
expostulation etc. (dissuasion) Dissuasion
admonition etc. (warning) Warning
guidance etc. (direction) Direction . instruction, charge, injunction, obtestation
Governor's message, President's message
King's message, Queen's speech
message, speech from the throne. adviser, prompter
counsel, counselor
monitor, mentor, Nestor, senator
teacher etc. Teacher . guide, manual, chart etc. (information) Information . physician, doctor, leech, archiater. arbiter etc. (judge) Judge . reference, referment
consultation, conference, pourparler.
Verbs
advise, counsel
give advice, give counsel
suggest, prompt, submonish, recommend, prescribe, advocate
exhort etc. (persuade) Motive . enjoin, enforce, charge, instruct, call
call upon etc. (request) Request
dictate. expostulate etc. (dissuade) Dissuasion
admonish etc. (warn) Warning . advise with
lay heads together, consult together
compare notes
hold a council, deliberate, be closeted with. confer, consult, refer to, call in
take advice, follow advice
be advised by, have at one's elbow, take one's cue from.
Adjectives
recommendatory
hortative etc. (persuasive) Motive
dehortatory etc. (dissuasive) Dissuasion
admonitory etc. (warning) Warning .
Phrases
give every man thine ear but few thy voice" [Hamlet]
I pray thee cease thy counsel" [Much Ado About Nothing]
my guide, philosopher, and friend" [Pope]
'twas good advice and meant, my son be good" [Crabbe]
a word to the wise is sufficient
we, ask advice but we mean approbation" [Colton] .
Nouns
council, committee, subcommittee, court, chamber, cabinet, board, bench, staff. senate, parliament, chamber of deputies, directory, rigsdag, storthing, witenagemote, junta, divan, musnud, sanhedrim
classis
Amphictyonic council
house of representatives
legislative assembly, legislative council
riksdag, witan, caput, consistory, chapter, syndicate
court of appeal etc. (tribunal) Tribunal
board of control, board of works
vestry
county council, local board. audience chamber, council chamber, state chamber. cabinet council, privy council
cockpit, convocation, synod, congress, convention, diet, states-general. [formal gathering of members of a council: script] assembly, caucus, conclave, clique, conventicle
meeting, sitting, seance, conference, convention, exhibition, session, palaver, pourparler, durbar, house
quorum
council fire [U.S.] , powwow [U.S.] , primary [U.S.] . meeting, assemblage etc. Assemblage . [person who is member of a council] member
senator
member of parliament, M.P.
councilor, representative of the people
assemblyman, congressman
councilman, councilwoman, alderman, freeholder.
Verbs
assemble, gather together, meet (assemblage) Assemblage
confer, caucus, hold council
huddle [Coll.] .
Adjectives
senatorial, curule
congressional, parliamentary
legislative, law-making
regulatory
deliberative.
Nouns
precept, direction, instruction, charge
prescript, prescription
recipe, receipt
golden rule
maxim etc. Maxim . rule, canon, law, code, act, statute, rubric, stage direction, regulation
form, formula, formulary
technicality
canon law
norm. order etc. (command) Command .
Nouns
skill, skillfulness, address
dexterity, dexterousness
adroitness, expertness etc. adj.
proficiency, competence, technical competence, craft, callidity, facility, knack, trick, sleight
mastery, mastership, excellence, panurgy
ambidexterity, ambidextrousness
sleight of hand etc. (deception) Deception . seamanship, airmanship, marksmanship, horsemanship
rope-dancing. accomplishment, acquirement, attainment
art, science
technicality, technology
practical knowledge, technical knowledge. knowledge of the world, world wisdom
tact
mother wit etc. (sagacity) Intelligence, Wisdom
discretion etc. (caution) Caution
finesse
craftiness etc. (cunning) Cunning
management etc. (conduct) Conduct
self-help. cleverness, talent, ability, ingenuity, capacity, parts, talents, faculty, endowment, forte, turn, gift, genius
intelligence etc. Intelligence, Wisdom
sharpness, readiness etc. (activity) Activity
invention etc. Imagination
aptness, aptitude
turn for, capacity for, genius for
felicity, capability, qualification, habilitation. proficient etc. Proficient . masterpiece, tour de force
good stroke etc. (plan) Plan .
Verbs
be skillful etc. adj.
excel in, be master of
have a turn for etc. n.. know what's what, know a hawk from a handsaw, know what one is about, know on which side one's bread is buttered, know what's o'clock
have cut one's eye teeth, have cut one's wisdom teeth. see one's way, see where the wind lies, see which way the wind blows
have all one's wits about one, have one's hand in
cut one's coat according to one's cloth
live by one's wits
exercise one's discretion, feather the oar, sail near the wind
stoop to conquer etc. (cunning) Cunning
play one's cards well, play one's best card
hit the right nail on the head, put the saddle on the right horse. take advantage of, make the most of
profit by etc. (use) Use
make a hit etc. (succeed) Success
make a virtue of necessity
make hay while the sun shines etc. (occasion) Occasion .
Adjectives
skillful, dexterous, adroit, expert, apt, handy, quick, deft, ready, gain
slick, smart etc. (active) Activity
proficient, good at, up to, at home in, master of, a good hand at, au fait, thoroughbred, masterly, crack, accomplished
conversant etc. (knowing) Knowledge . experienced, practiced, skilled, hackneyed
up in, well up in
in practice, in proper cue
competent, efficient, qualified, capable, fitted, fit for, up to the mark, trained, initiated, prepared, primed, finished. clever, cute, able, ingenious, felicitous, gifted, talented, endowed
inventive etc. Imagination
shrewd, sharp, on the ball etc. (intelligent) Intelligence, Wisdom
cunning etc. Cunning
alive to, up to snuff, not to be caught with chaff
discreet. neat-handed, fine-fingered, nimble-fingered, ambidextrous, sure-footed
cut out for, fitted for. technical, artistic, scientific, daedalian, shipshape
workman-like, business-like, statesman-like.
Adverbs
skillfully etc. adj.
well etc. Good
artistically
with skill, with consummate skill
suo Marte
to the best of one's abilities etc. (exertion) Exertion .
Phrases
heart to conceive, the understanding to direct, or heart to conceive, the understanding to direct, or the hand to execute
" [Junius]
if you have lemons, make lemonade.
Nouns
unskillfulness etc. adj.
want of skill etc. Skill
incompetence, incompentency
inability, infelicity, indexterity, inexperience
disqualification, unproficiency
quackery. folly, stupidity etc. Imbecility. Folly
indiscretion etc. (rashness) Rashness
thoughtlessness etc. (inattention) Inattention (neglect) Neglect
sabotage. mismanagement, misconduct
impolicy
maladministration
misrule, misgovernment, misapplication, misdirection, misfeasance
petticoat government. absence of rule, rule of thumb
bungling etc. v.
failure etc. Failure
screw loose: too many cooks. blunder etc. (mistake) Error
act of folly, balourdise
botch, botchery
bad job, sad work. sprat sent out to catch a whale, much ado about nothing, wild-goose chase. bungler etc. Bungler
fool etc. Fool .
Verbs
be unskillful etc. adj.
not see an inch beyond one's nose
blunder, bungle, boggle, fumble, botch, bitch, flounder, stumble, trip
hobble etc. Slowness
put one's foot in it
make a mess of, make hash of, make sad work of
overshoot the mark. play tricks with, play Puck, mismanage, misconduct, misdirect, misapply, missend. stultify oneself, make a fool of oneself, commit oneself
act foolishly
play the fool
put oneself out of court
lose control, lose control of oneself, lose one's head, lose one's cunning. begin at the wrong end
do things by halves etc. (not complete) Noncompletion
make two bites of a cherry
play at cross purposes
strain at a gnat and swallow a camel etc. (caprice) Caprice
put the cart before the horse
lock the stable door when the horse is stolen etc. (too late) Untimeliness . not know what one is about, not know one's own interest, not know on which side one's bread is buttered
stand in one's own light, quarrel with one's bread and butter, throw a stone in one's own garden, kill the goose which lays the golden eggs, pay dear for one's whistle, cut one's own throat, bum one's fingers
knock one's head against a stone wall, beat one's head against a stone wall
fall into a trap, catch a Tartar, bring the house about one's ears
have too many eggs in one basket (imprudent) Rashness , have too many irons in the fire. mistake etc. Error
take the shadow for the substance etc. (credulity) Credulity
bark up the wrong tree
be in the wrong box, aim at a pigeon and kill a crow
take the wrong pig by the tail, get the wrong pig by the tail, get the wrong sow by the ear, get the dirty end of the stick
put the saddle on the wrong horse, put a square peg into a round hole, put new wine into old bottles. cut blocks with a razor
hold a farthing candle to the sun etc. (useless) Inutility
fight with a shadow, grasp at a shadow
catch at straws, lean on a broken reed, reckon without one's host, pursue a wild goose chase
go on a fool's goose chase, sleeveless errand
go further and fare worse
lose one's way, miss one's way
fail etc. Failure .
Adjectives
unskillful etc. Skill
inexpert
bungling etc. v.
awkward, clumsy, unhandy, lubberly, gauche, maladroit
left-handed, heavy-handed
slovenly, slatternly
gawky. adrift, at fault. inapt, unapt
untractable, unteachable
giddy etc. (inattentive) Inattention
inconsiderate etc. (neglectful) Neglect
stupid etc. Imbecility. Folly
inactive etc. Inactivity
incompetent
unqualified, disqualified, ill-qualified
unfit
quackish
raw, green, inexperienced, rusty, out of practice. unaccustomed, unused, untrained etc. Teaching , uninitiated, unconversant etc. (ignorant) Ignorance
shiftless
unstatesmanlike. unadvised
ill-advised, misadvised
ill-devised, ill-imagined, ill-judged, ill-contrived, ill-conducted
unguided, misguided
misconducted, foolish, wild
infelicitous
penny wise and pound foolish etc. (inconsistent) Caprice .
Phrases
one's fingers being all thumbs
the right hand forgets its cunning
out of the frying pan into the fire
Nouns
proficient, expert, adept, dab
dabster, crackerjack
connoisseur etc. (scholar) Scholar
master, master hand
first fiddle, top gun, chef de cuisine, top sawyer
protagonist
past master
mahatma. picked man
medallist, prizeman. veteran
old stager, old campaigner, old soldier, old file, old hand
man of business, man of the world. nice hand, good hand, clean hand
practiced hand, experienced eye, experienced hand
marksman
good shot, dead shot, crack shot
ropedancer, funambulist, acrobat
cunning man
conjuror etc. (deceiver) Deceiver
wizard etc. Sorcerer . genius
mastermind, master head, master spirit. cunning blade, sharp blade, sharp fellow
jobber
cracksman etc. (thief) Thief
politician, tactician, strategist. pantologist, admirable Crichton, Jack of all trades
prodigy of learning.
Nouns
bungler
blunderer, blunderhead
marplot, fumbler, lubber, duffer, dauber, stick
bad hand, poor hand, poor shot
butterfingers. no conjurer, flat, muff, slow coach, looby, lubber, swab
clod, yokel, awkward squad, blanc-bec
galoot. land lubber
fresh water sailor, fair weather sailor
horse marine
fish out of water, ass in lion's skin, jackdaw in peacock's feathers
quack etc. (deceiver) Deceiver
lord of misrule. sloven, slattern, trapes. amateur, novice, greenhorn (learner) Learner .
Phrases
he will never set the Thames on fire
Nouns
cunning, craft
cunningness, craftiness etc. adj.
subtlety, artificiality
maneuvering etc. v.
temporization
circumvention. chicane, chicanery
sharp practice, knavery, jugglery
concealment etc. Concealment
guile, doubling, duplicity etc. (falsehood) Falsehood
foul play. diplomacy, politics
Machiavelism
jobbery, backstairs influence. art, artifice
device, machination
plot etc. (plan) Plan
maneuver, stratagem, dodge, sidestep, artful dodge, wile
trick, trickery etc. (deception) Deception
ruse
finesse, side blow, thin end of the wedge, shift, go by, subterfuge, evasion
white lie etc. (untruth) Untruth
juggle, tour de force
tricks of the trade, tricks upon travelers
net, trap etc. Deception . Ulysses, Machiavel, sly boots, fox, reynard
Scotchman
Jew, Yankee
intriguer, intrigant
floater [U.S.] , Indian giver [U.S.] , keener [U.S.] , repeater [U.S.] .
Verbs
be cunning etc. adj.
have cut one's eyeteeth
contrive etc. (plan) Plan
live by one's wits
maneuver
intrigue, gerrymander, finesse, double, temporize, stoop to conquer, circumvent, steal a march upon
overreach etc. Deception
throw off one's guard
surprise etc. Inexpectation
snatch a verdict
waylay, undermine, introduce the thin end of the wedge
play a deep game, play tricks with
flatter, make things pleasant
have an ax to grind. dodge, sidestep, bob and weave.
Adjectives
cunning, crafty, artful
skillful etc. Skill
subtle, feline, vulpine
cunning as a fox, cunning as a serpent
deep, deep laid
profound
designing, contriving
intriguing etc. v.
strategic, diplomatic, politic, Machiavelian, timeserving
artificial
tricky, tricksy
wily, sly, slim, insidious, stealthy
underhand etc. (hidden) Concealment
subdolous
deceitful etc. Deception
slippery as an eel, evasive etc. [Absence of pursuit.] Avoidance
crooked
arch, pawky, shrewd, acute
sharp, sharp as a tack, sharp as a needle
canny, astute, leery, knowing, up to snuff, too clever by half, not to be caught with chaff. tactful, diplomatic, politic
polite etc. Courtesy .
Adverbs
cunningly etc. adj.
slyly, slily, on the sly, by a side wind.
Phrases
diamond cut diamond
something is rotten in the state of something is rotten in the state of Denmark" [Hamlet] .
Nouns
artlessness etc. adj.
nature, simplicity
innocence etc. Innocence
bonhomie, naivete, abandon, candor, sincerity
singleness of purpose, singleness of heart
honesty etc. Probity
plain speaking
matter of fact man
Verbs
be artless etc. adj.
look one in the face
wear one's heart upon his sleeves for daws to peck wear one's heart upon his sleeves for daws to peck at
think aloud
speak out, speak one's mind
be free with one, call a spade a spade.
Adjectives
artless, natural, pure, native, confiding, simple, lain, inartificial, untutored, unsophisticated, ingenu, unaffected, naive
sincere, frank
open, open as day
candid, ingenuous, guileless
unsuspicious, honest etc. Probity
innocent etc. Innocence
Arcadian
undesigning, straightforward, unreserved, aboveboard
simple-minded, single-minded
frank-hearted, open-hearted, single-hearted, simple-hearted. free-spoken, plain-spoken, outspoken
blunt, downright, direct, matter of fact, unpoetical
unflattering.
Adverbs
in plain words, in plain English
without mincing the matter
not to mince the matter etc. (affirmation) Affirmation .
Phrases
as frank as rain on cherry blossoms" [E.B. Browning] .